Camera at the Mart: full clearance of cows and calves in Bandon

A full clearance of the 607 head of cattle brought the curtain down on sales in Bandon Mart for 2025 at the west Cork mart’s weekly sale on Monday last.

For this week at least, it was predominantly calves and dry cows, with a small offering of store cattle available among the 607 cattle on offer.

In the younger stock section, over 260 were calves close to or under six weeks of age. Traditional beef breed-crosses made up most of what was on offer.

Lighter Angus- and Hereford-crosses closer to 60kg traded hands from €350 up, while €700 was passed on a number of occasions for heavier calves over 80kg.

Heavy Friesian bulls around 90kg made up to €400, while lighter Friesian bull calves generally made from €220 to €350.

Continental-crosses were scarce but in demand, with a share of heavy Belgian Blue-crosses closing in on 90kg pushing into over €900, with lighter calves making similar money to Angus- and Hereford-crosses.

There were 205 cows on offer and an average price that was a little shy of €1,400 showed that the appetite for dry cows remains very firm, despite a slight drop-off in factory prices of late.

Friesians break €2,000 mark

A number of heavier Friesian cows broke the €2,000 mark, with up to €2,200 paid for a 74kg Friesian. Most parlour cows with a nice coating of flesh were selling for between €1,200 and €1,600.

Lighter cows or those in need of further feeding were mostly bought for between €1.80/kg and €2.20/kg, with the best part of three-quarters of those on offer selling for in excess of €1,000.

Speaking after the sale, mart manager Sean Dennehy said: “A lot of cows in this week, we had just over 200 today and we’ve had very big sales since the end of October and start of November.

“There’s been great prices for cows and farmers are responding with that. They’re bringing cows to us and they’re making fairly good money.

“Cows are coming out fairly well fleshed and the heavy cows are doing as well here as they are compared to what they’d make at any other outlet.”

Calves have appeared in bigger than usual numbers over the last while in Bandon, he added.

“We’ve had a big number of calves the last few weeks. They’re way ahead of what they were last year and the prices are holding up a lot better when you compare year to year.

“It’s not comparable with the springtime because that’s a different ball game, but we’re seeing very strong farmer demand lately. Prices are relatively good especially for those strong calves.

“Lighter calves are back a little bit; there’s a bit more rearing in them.”